Search Results for: blog design your own backpack

Vacation Gadgets for Your Pet

With the summer travel season now upon us, many of us face questions about what to do with our pets when we go on vacation. Those of us who decide to bring our pets along on our trips, though glad to have our furry friends with us, then face further complications of keeping our pets situated and happy with the limited resources we have away from home. At the recent Global Pet Expo in Orlando, pet-minded inventors introduced a number of new gadgets designed to make vacationing easier for all members of the family, both two-and-four-legged. MSNBC reports the highlights. … Continue reading →

New Products That Help You Keep Track of Your Toddler

Did you know that more than 2,000 children in the United States are reported missing each day? What’s more, during the summer months, studies show that number increases by 10 percent. I’ll never forget the gut-wrenching moment when I was in the grocery store with my toddler rearranging items in my shopping cart to accommodate a case of bottled water. When I turned around my daughter was gone and I experienced terror like I had never known before. Fortunately, she had only toddled a few feet away and I found her happily squatting behind a life-sized cut out of the … Continue reading →

Boston Wants Your Business

In these tough economic times some lodgings are pulling out all the stops to fill guest rooms. Some are a bit cleverer than others, but for the most part the offerings are designed to give you more bang for your buck. Hotels in the Boston area have ramped up their promotions in just the last two weeks; perhaps hoping you will spend some of your tax rebates or part of your economic stimulus package on a vacation for the whole clan. If you are looking to getaway to Beantown and want to save some cash on your hotel room check … Continue reading →

Fashion Forward: Bulletproof Backpacks

Pencils. Check. Pens. Check. Notebooks. Check. Bulletproof backpack… Not exactly the type of item you want to see on your child’s back-to-school shopping list, but a couple of entrepreneurs from Boston think it should be there. If you thought a backpack’s main purpose was to be a fashion accessory, think again. Joe Curran, of My Child’s PackIt, says backpacks should serve multiple purposes, including acting as a weapon in the war against school violence. Curran started the bag company shortly after the shootings at Columbine in 1999. He and his buddy Mike Pelonzi say the idea for the bulletproof backpack … Continue reading →

Design Your Own Backpack

A couple of years ago, my boys were at that awkward age when the character backpacks looked a little babyish to them, but the plain backpacks looked boring. They didn’t want to buy any of the backpacks at three different stores. And yet, they really needed backpacks for school. I talked them into some sturdy canvas packs, but they weren’t happy. We came across the solution accidentally while wandering around the craft store looking for the bathroom. I’m not much of a sewer, so we rarely visit the fabric section. I’m so glad we did that day. Because hanging on … Continue reading →

Hip To Be Square

For kids, being safe often compromises their cool quotient. Think about it: wearing a helmet while biking = geeky; buckling up in a vehicle = loser; rocking elbow pads while skateboarding = not rocking; and using a rolling backpack = Nerdsville. Personally, I love backpacks with wheels, but then again, I’m not in middle school. According to my too-hip-for-his-own-good nephew, “No one takes a person over 9 years old with a rolling backpack seriously.” And if you dare to be seen with a wheeled backpack in high school, said nephew warns: “I am relatively sure people will make fun of … Continue reading →

Back-to-School Motivators

Like mother like daughter. When it comes to back-to-school, my daughter and I are on the same page. I’m not singing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and my kid is not tailgating at the bus stop. Instead, we’ve been desperately clinging to the last days of summer vacation, squeezing in as many outdoor activities as possible before she is forced to remain indoors for nearly seven hours per day. It’s not that my child hates school; it’s just that she enjoys summer more. Ditto for the Mama; only I don’t make a habit of verbalizing my personal … Continue reading →

Get Creative for Fall

May lightning not strike me down for writing about autumn scrapbooking in mid-August. Sure, Halloween Express has already opened its doors for business in my neck of the woods, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got my costume picked out. I prefer to ease in and out of seasons, and for me, summer is especially hard to say goodbye to. Still, many kids around the country have already bid adieu to days spent at the pool and park. School is back in session for students in Georgia, Hawaii and parts of California. The start of a new academic year is a … Continue reading →

Happy and Healthy Trails

Camping is one of the most affordable vacation options around. However, the idea of “roughing it” doesn’t appeal to all travelers, especially ones who are concerned about staying safe, healthy and happy while on holiday with their loved ones. Working with unpredictable elements can be intimidating for some folks; however, with a little planning, you can make the most of what Mother Nature doles out. For example, if you are worried that eating healthy may be out of the question during an outdoor camping trip, consider the following tips. For starters, you don’t have to limit your camping menu to … Continue reading →

Withstanding the Test of Time

My daughter is still fairly young, so when I design scrapbook layouts I tend to stick with more classic designs. I hope that by doing so when she becomes a mother, and later a grandmother, my hard work will withstand the test of time and she won’t look at the pages and wonder what I was thinking when I put them together. Timeless designs are safe, but they can also be boring. The key to making them shine is to include your own sense of style. In addition, for practical purposes, you want to use quality materials. There is no … Continue reading →